Apparatus for converting e-mail data into audio data and method therefor

• US 7,617,282 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Mong Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US10/621,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 704/260
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for converting an e-mail data into an audio data. The apparatus includes a communication connector connected with a communication line for controlling a transmission of an e-mail data and an e-mail audio data, a controller to control receiving and sending e-mail data pertaining to an e-mail receiving through the communication connector and controlling a conversion from the received e-mail data into e-mail message data containing gender information that pertains to a sender, contexts and texts of the e-mail, a memory for storing the received e-mail data and the e-mail message data, and an audio data generator for generating an audio signal according to the e-mail data and transmitting the contents and texts of the e-mail message data to a client through the communication connector upon client request.

Claims

1. An apparatus for converting e-mail (electronic mail) data into audio data, comprising:

a communication connector connected to an e-mail server via a communication line and comprising;

a controller configured to control a conversion of e-mail data received from the server into e-mail message header data, e-mail content data and e-mail attachment-type data, and

an audio data generator configured to convert the e-mail message header data, e-mail content data and e-mail attachment-type data into audio data including corresponding audio header data, audio content data and audio attachment-type identifier data, the audio attachment-type identifier data being an announcement of the existence and type of an attachment to the e-mail; and

a memory configured to store the e-mail data and the audio data,

wherein the communication connector operates to transmit the audio data to a client upon the client'"'"'s request, and

wherein the e-mail data further includes gender information and the audio data generator is configured to generate an audio signal in a male voice if the gender information identifies that a sender of the e-mail data is a male sender registered in an e-mail address list, and to generate the audio signal in a female voice if the gender information identifies that the sender of the e-mail data is a female sender registered in the e-mail address list.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an e-mail client program installed system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a video unit configured to process the e-mail message data; and

a display unit configured to display the e-mail message data processed by the video unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plural attachment types comprise an image-type attachment, a video-type attachment, an audio-type attachment, and an e-mail-type attachment.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the e-mail message header information identifies a sender'"'"'s name, a sending date, and a subject of the e-mail.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to identify a total number of e-mails received by the apparatus and audio data generator is configured to generate a corresponding audio message to send to the client.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the male voice is also not of a receiver of the e-mail, and the female voice is also not of a receiver of the e-mail.

8. A method for converting e-mail (electronic mail) data into audio data, comprising the steps of:

receiving an e-mail data from an e-mail server, wherein the e-mail data comprises gender information;

storing the e-mail data received from the e-mail server as e-mail message header data, e-mail content data and e-mail attachment-type data;

receiving a request to retrieve the e-mail data, including verifying a requestor'"'"'s identification;

converting the e-mail message header data, e-mail content data and e-mail attachment-type data to audio header data, audio content data and audio attachment-type identifier data, the audio attachment-type identifier data being an announcement of the existence and type of an attachment to the e-mail;

saving in a memory the audio header data, audio content data and audio attachment-type identifier data; and

transmitting the audio header data, audio content data and audio attachment-type identifier data to the client as an audio signal,

wherein the transmitting step comprises generating the audio signal in a male voice if the gender information identifies that a sender of the e-mail data is a male sender registered in an e-mail address list, and generating the audio signal in a female voice if the gender information identifies that the sender of the e-mail data is a female sender registered in the e-mail address list.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein in said audio converting and storing steps, identification information of the sender of the e-mail is checked and an audio conversion is implemented based on the checked result.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying step includes a step of judging whether there is an e-mail received after the client'"'"'s identification has been identified.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising a step of transmitting a message indicating that the e-mail is not received when the e-mail is not received.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of referencing the sender of the e-mail in an address list.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said identifying step is implemented using a telephone line or using a direct access to an e-mail service system.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the e-mail data includes gender information of a sender of the e-mail, and said audio signal is generated based on the gender of the sender of the e-mail.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said audio signal is generated in a male voice that is not the sender'"'"'s if the gender information identifies that the sender of the e-mail is a male, and said audio signal is generated in a female voice that is not the sender'"'"'s if the gender information identifies that the sender of the e-mail is a female.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the male voice is also not of a receiver of the e-mail, and the female voice is also not of a receiver of the e-mail.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the plural attachment types comprise an image-type attachment, a video-type attachment, an audio-type attachment, and an e-mail-type attachment.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the header information identifies a name of a sender, a sending date, and a subject of the e-mail.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the e-mail message data further identifies a total number of e-mails directed to the client.

20. An apparatus for converting e-mail (electronic mail) data into audio data, comprising:

a communication connector connected to an e-mail sever via a communication line;

a controller configured to control a conversion of e-mail data received from a server into e-mail message header data, e-mail content data and e-mail attachment-type data;

an audio data generator configured to convert the e-mail message header data, e-mail content data and e-mail attachment-type data into audio data including corresponding audio header data, audio content data and audio attachment-type identifier data, the audio attachment-type identifier data being an announcement of the existence and type of an attachment to the e-mail, wherein the e-mail message header information identifies a sender'"'"'s name, a sending date, and a subject of the e-mail;

a memory configured to store the e-mail data and the audio data;

a video unit configured to process the e-mail message data; and

a display unit configured to display the e-mail message data processed by the video unit,

wherein the communication connector operates to transmit the audio data to a client upon client'"'"'s request,

wherein the e-mail data further includes gender information and the audio data generator is configured to generate an audio signal in a male voice if the gender information identifies that the sender of the e-mail is a male sender registered in an e-mail address list, and to generate the audio signal in a female voice if the gender information identifies that the sender of the e-mail is a female sender registered in the e-mail address list, and

wherein the controller is further configured to identify a total number of e-mails received by the apparatus and the audio data generator is configured to generate a corresponding audio message to send to the client.